| Match Pictures | Matches:1961 – 1962 | 1961-1962 Pictures |
Trivia
- On 11th April Glasgow magistrates met with football representatives from the SFA,. The Scottish League, Celtic, Rangers, Partick Thistle, Queen’s Park and Third Lanark to try and meet some resolution to overcome the recent rowdyism seen at games. What was suggested was a separate Boys entrance to grounds, those intoxicated or carrying bottles be refused admittance, that stewards be provided at entrances to ensure compliance (this had been introduced nationwide at the previous league games and there had already been a prosecution through this), and that no glass bottles be sold within the grounds. The clubs said they would endeavour to meet these extra provisions.
- In a deal which came right out of the blue, John Donnelly was transferred to Preston North End.
- Time was called on the club’s experiment of starting games at 3:30pm to allow for the extra late arrivals.
- Pat Crerand and Billy McNeill were in the Scotland team that defeated England 2-0 at Hampden on 14th April.
- Back in from illness or injury came Duncan MacKay and Pat Crerand; John Hughes was out with a leg injury and Bobby Carroll went to centre forward with Brogan moving back to the right and Alec Byrne coming in on the left.
- Played on the same day as the Scottish Cup Final in which Rangers beat St Mirren 2-0
- This was the only loss at Celtic Park in the League this season
- Notably, to time of writing (2021) this was the last Raith Rovers victory at Celtic Park since this day, even though Raith Rovers have since defeated Celtic in a league cup final (1994).
Review
“Even Pat Crerand got his share of the ‘raspberry’ treatment,” reported The Sunday Post of April 22, 1962.
An unexciting game with neither team having anything at stake. Goal-less at half time though both sides had had chances to go ahead.
The goal came twelve minutes from the end when Adamson beat Haffey to a ball and headed it over his head and into the net.
Teams
Celtic:
Haffey; MacKay, Kennedy; Crerand, McNeill, Clark; Brogan, Chalmers, Carroll, Divers, Byrne.
Scorers:
Raith Rovers:
Thorburn; Stevenson, Mochan; Stein, Forsyth, Leigh; Adamson, Kerr, Gilfillan, McFadzean, Urquhart.
Scorers: Adamson (78)
Referee: R H Davidson (Airdrie)
Attendance: 11,000
Articles
- Match Report (see end of page below)
Pictures
Articles
Raspberries, transistor radios and a great escape: The story of Raith Rovers’ last win at Celtic Park
By Alan Temple
September 22 2021, 7.30am
xhttps://www.thecourier.co.uk/fp/sport/football/2590988/raith-rovers-celtic-parkhead-premier-sports-cup/
Raith Rovers’ most famous victory against Celtic is cemented in Scottish football folklore.
You know the one: Gordon Dalziel leveller; Scott Thomson heroics; Paul McStay penalty heartbreak.
From a Rovers perspective, that Coca-Cola Cup final triumph in 1994 overshadows every other meeting between the sides.
But what about their last win over the Hoops at Celtic Park? After all, that’s the feat John McGlynn’s men must replicate on Thursday evening.
Here, Courier Sport tells the story of that 1-0 victory on April 21, 1962.
Cup final day
It was not the biggest game in Scotland that afternoon.
It wasn’t even the biggest game in Glasgow.
In the south side of the city, Rangers were facing St Mirren in the Scottish Cup final in front of 127,940 supporters.
By contrast, the reported attendance at Parkhead was 11,000.
The Hoops were resigned to being also-rans in a Division One title race that Dundee would ultimately win; their finest hour.
“The Celtic support had given up for the season, it appeared,” wrote David Potter in the book Rovers Greats. “And those who were there turned on their team.”
That backlash was particularly potent following Bobby Adamson’s opening goal, with the former Dee and St Mirren attacker lofting a header beyond Celtic goalkeeper Francis Haffey after 77 minutes.
Restless natives
Worse news was to follow for the hosts.
From Rovers Greats: “In the second half, their mood was not improved by the dismal tidings from their transistor radios.”
Goals from Ralph Brand and Davie Wilson would see Scot Symon’s Rangers side claim a 2-0 triumph over the Buddies.
“Rangers were wining the Scottish Cup, and the green and white brigade began to cheer Raith’s brave defenders.”
Rovers icon Andy Leigh ran a pub following his retirement
At the heart of those heroic efforts were Dennis Mochan, Bobby Stein and, perhaps most impressive, the legendary Andy Leigh.
Leigh was in his 12th and penultimate season with the Rovers when he took to the Parkhead turf; a remanent of the wonderful Rovers side of the 1950s.
By this point, Raith were in decline — they would be relegated the following season — but Leigh rolled back the years against the Hoops.
The late, great Leigh would ultimately make 489 appearances for Raith before becoming a publican and serving Rovers as groundsman.
Much-loved: Leigh
From Rovers Greats: “An old Celtic fan turned to a Raith supporter and asked ‘Leigh? Is that Leigh? Is he still playing for you?’ Indeed, he was and saving his team from relegation.”
One for the birds
The Kirkcaldy club would avoid relegation by two points in 1962, with St Johnstone and Stirling Albion instead dropping to Division Two.
Raith Rovers’ class of 1961/62
While this would not go down in the history books as a vintage Celtic side, that should not undercut the scale of the achievement.
This was the Hoops’ only home league defeat during the 1961/62 campaign and they were able to call upon Billy McNeil and Pat Crerand, heroes of Scotland’s 2-0 win over England just seven days prior.
Not that the availability of the latter seemed to help.
Match of the day
“Even Pat Crerand got his share of the ‘raspberry’ treatment,” reported The Sunday Post of April 22, 1962.
It added: “That loud clatter you heard at 4.28 yesterday afternoon was Celtic’s proud, unbeaten home league record going for a Burton . . . this display was strictly one for the birds.”
